Heel wedge for footwear



Nov. 11, 1941. R. R. REEVES 2,262,371

HEEL WEDGE FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Nov. 29, 1939 2 WW Maw 1250222263 a Patented Nov.'11, 1941 UNITED STAT-E HEEL WEDGE Eon roo'rwmm Ray R. Reeves, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 29, 1939, Serial No. 306,666 4 Claims. 01. s6-2.5)

This invention relates to improvements in footwear, and concerns particularly the construction of what is generally referred to as a heel wedge which forms or provides the heel of the footwear and serves to support the heel and the back of the instep of the wearer.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved heel wedge formed of a self-hardening plastic material such as modified cellulose plastic which is laterallyexpansible; so that the same construction of wedge may be laterally expanded for use on footwear of varying widths.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wedge for footwear which will be very light in weight, sturdy, and possessing the qualities of being neat and attractive in appearance as well substantially upon the line 33 upon Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation taken substantially in the direction of the arrow 4 upon Fig. 1, parts being broken away and shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 5 is a partialview in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 5-5 upon Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a View in side elevation of a shoe illustrating the improved wedge as having been incorporated therein.

- Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved wedge for footwear comprises a section of yieldable material shaped so as to conform to the shape ofapproximately the rear half of the bottom of a shoe. This section provides opposed sides II and I2 joined by a curved back l3, the sides converging downwardly as shown in Fig. 3 and tapering forwardly. The section [0 is preferably, but not necessarily, formed of a self-hardening plastic material of the Celluloid'or modified cellulose type. Quite anumberof plastics of this general type are now on the .market and any one of them may be advantageously employed. Most of these plastics possess the property of being substantially waterproof and of being quite 'ments: incorporated therein and are capable of taking a finished surface possessing a pleasing and attractive luster. Most of these plastics possess the property also of being to some extent yieldable or resilient and in accordance with the present invention, it is highly desirable that'the material employed possess a sufficient degree of resiliency to permit of its'being flexed for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Beneath the member l0 there is'provided a bottom l4 extending from the back l3 to the forward ends of the sides. This bottomis preferably formed of'the same material and extends from side to side (2. The bottom l4 may be perfectly fiat from front to back, but in the preferred formiof construction there is formed a slight rebate or/recess indicated at I5 in the back formed by the rear portion of the bottom being slightlyelevated. Where this elevated portion is employed the sides and back of member are also rebated or recessed to accommodate strong per unit of weight, andmany have pig the elevated portion.

A top IE is provided which fits in arebate or recess I1 formed in the top edges of the side and back walls. In the completed construction of the wedge the top I6 and the bottom M are cemented I or otherwise permanently secured to the top and bottom of member ID. The top joins the sides H and I2 and slopes downwardly 'andjforwardly contacting with the forward edge of the bottom I4 as shown in Fig. 5. The top and bottom are longitudinally split for the major portions of their lengths, the splits being indicated at 3 and [9, respectively. These splits in the preferred form of construction are disaligned, the split l8 in the top extending diagonally rearwardly toward the outer side of the wedge and the split [9 in the bottom extending diagonally rearwardly toward the innerside of the wedge. The rear ends of the splits are preferably semicircularly curved as indicated at 20 and 2!, re-

spectively.

Supporting posts 22, 23, and 24 are arranged between the top and bottom. The supporting post 23 is preferably made integral with thetop or it may be a separate post cemented or otherwise attached theretoa This supporting post is arranged adjacent the end of the semi-circular portion 20 of split I 8. Its bottom is so arranged as to extend across or traverse the split I9 in the bottom I4. The bottom of the post 23, however, is not cemented or otherwise secured to bottom 14. Posts 22 and 24 areformed integral with or are rigidly attached to the bottom 14. Post 22 is arranged adjacent the end of the semi-circular portion 2| of split 19. Its top is arranged to traverse the split l8 in the top I6. Similarly, post 24 is integral with or rigidly attached to the bottom l4 and has its top arranged to trayerse or to extend across split I8. The tops of the posts 22 and 24 are secured to the bottom of the top l6.

Small dowels or pins 25 and 26 extend through the bottom and top adjacent the forward ends as shown in Fig. 5. These dowels or pins form lugs projecting downwardly from the forward portion of the wedge.

The advantages of the improved wedge are as follows. When the wedge is to be incorporated in a shoe having an upper U and a sole s, the sole is provided with holes 21 arranged to receive the lugs formed by the pins 25 and 26. The wedge is then applied to the sole between the rear portion of the sole and the rear portion of the upper U. It may be cemented or otherwise fastened in place between the sole and the upper. The lugs extending through holes in the sole assist in maintaining the wedge in proper position during the cementing and also serveto maintain the wedge in proper position during Wear.

If the bottom is recessed as indicated at IS on Fig. 4, it permits of the insertion of an additional lift28 of leather or other material used for the sole S so that as the rear edge of the heel becomes rounded during wear, such wear will be taken by the additional lift rather than by the wedge itself.

A single size of wedge may be used on footwear of various widths, The wedge is preferably made so that in its normal position it is of the size of the narrowest width of shoe on which it is to be used. It may be used on shoes of larger widths by forcibly springing the sides of the wedge apart.

'As the material from which the member l and the top and bottom are formed is resilient, the sides of member lll'may be sprung'apart and the splits or slots I8 and I9 permit of the top and bottom to be sprung and widened. The shape of the rear ends of the splits l8 and I9 is such that in spreading the Wedge there is little danger of the top and bottom becoming broken and split to the back of the top and bottom respectively.

Although the top and bottom are split in order to'permit of this spreading of the wedge, the supporting posts 22, 23, and 24' permit of the opening of'the splits and serve to adequately support the weight of 'the'wearer.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that theimproved wedge is highly advantageous in that it is inherently waterproofed that it may be given an attractive,

smooth surface on its external surfaces which may or may not be left exposed between the upper U and the sole-S. The wedge is quite light in 'weight'and at thesame time very sturdy and and thata perfectly feasible wedge can be provided in which the slots l3 and I9 and the supporting posts 22, 23, and 24. are omitted. In such a construction the wedge is not only light in .Wftight huthas, the other advantages above set forth. However, it i necessary then to make the wedge in various sizes not only with respect to their length but also with respect to their width. Such a wedge would otherwise be constructed as above described.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hollow wedge for footwear adapted to occupy a position between the sole and the body of the upper of footwear and to extend from the back of the heel forwardly to a point beneath the instep so as to be capable of supporting the arch of the foot comprising a section of flexible material bent and shaped to provide the sides and bacl; of the wedge, the sides of said section taperingforwardly, a bottom connecting the bottom edges of the sides and secured thereto and a top connecting the top edges of the sides and secured thereto and sloping downwardly and forwardly so as to meet the bottom adjacent the forward edge thereof, the space between the sides and between the top and bottom being largely empty, the top and bot-tom being split from their forward edges rearwardly to enable the wedge to be spread to accommodate itself to various sizes of footwear.

2. A hollow wedge for footwear adapted to occupy a position between the sole and the body of the upper of footwear and to extend from the back of the heel forwardly to a point beneath the instep so as to be capable of supporting the arch of the foot comprising a section of flexible material bent and shaped to provide the sides and back of the wedge, the sides of said section tapering forwardly, a bottom connecting the bottom edges of the sides and secured thereto and a top connecting the top edges of the sides and secured thereto and sloping downwardly and forwardly so as to meet the bottom adjacent the forward edge thereof, the space between the sides and between the top and bottom being largely empty, the top and bottom being split from their forward edges rearwardly to enable the wedge to be spread to accommodate itself to various sizes of footwear, the splitsin the top and bottom being disaligned.

3. A hollow wedge for footwear adapted to cocupy a position between the sole and the body of the upper of footwear and to extend from the back of the heel forwardly to a point beneath the instep so as to be capable of supporting the arch 'of the foot comprising a section of flexible material bent a d'shaped to provide the sides and back of the wedge, the sides of said section tapering forwardly, a bottom connecting the bottom edges of the sides and secured thereto and sloping downwardly and forwardly so as to meet the bottom adjacent the forward edge thereof, the space between the sides and between the top and bottom being largely empty, the top and bottom bein s li f om. the r or d edg s rearwardly to enable the wedge to be spread to accommodate itself to various sizes of footwear, the splits in the top, and bottom being disaligned. and braces secured to the top and bottom respectively bearing on the bottom an op. res ct across e splits themqf.

at. A hollow wedge for footwear adapted to occupy a position between the sole and the body of the upper of footwear and to extend from the back of the heel forwardly to a point beneath the instep so as to be capable of supporting the arch of the foot comprising a ection of flexible ma;

terial bent and shaped to proride thesides and back of the wedge, the sides of saidsection taper-t ing forwardly, a bottom connecting the bottom edges of the sides and secured thereto and a top connecting the top edges of the sidesand secured thereto and sloping downwardly and forwardly so as to meet thebottom adjacent the forward edge thereof, the space between the sides and between I the top and bottom being largely empty, the top being disaligned.

larly curved and being arranged in vertical alignment with the remaining portions of the splits RAY R. REEVES. 

